Sweetwater Alley.
Family-oriented.
Today is Chinese New Year, and it's also the day their third child turns three. The family's income is good this year, so Lu Huaijiao and her family have prepared a rather grand birthday banquet.
The Gu family next door were also staying at their place, preparing to celebrate the New Year together and give Sanbao a birthday celebration.
The two families sat around a large round table, which was laden with dishes for today's New Year's Eve dinner, including chicken, duck, fish, and meat.
There are also snacks that kids like, such as sponge cakes, which have been prepared.
Sanbao, along with Gu Taotao, pestered Gu Changzheng in the yard to light firecrackers. Lu Huaijiao, wearing a thick cotton coat and a fluffy cloak, stood under the eaves watching the four children in the yard.
Huang Tingxiu stood beside her, and the baby Gu Jingnian, who was only a few months old, was wrapped up tightly in Huang Tingxiu's arms, with his big eyes peeking out as he stared at his older brother and sister playing in the yard.
With drool dripping from its mouth, it was making little noises, as if it wanted to go and play with its older siblings.
Huang Tingxiu smiled and coaxed softly, "Niannian is still young and can't play with her older brothers and sisters yet. She can play with them next year during the Spring Festival."
Gu Jingnian is six months old now. Although he can't speak yet, he seems to understand some of what his parents say.
Sure enough, after Huang Tingxiu finished speaking, he kept tilting his head and looking at her, looking incredibly cute.
Lu Huaijiao glanced at the adorable Gu Jingnian by chance. She turned to look at Gu Changzheng, who was playing with Sanbao and Taotao. Her mind raced, trying to figure out how to make this stinky man, Gu Changzheng, stop using that so-called "little umbrella" when they were having sex.
She also wants to have a baby soon!
Well, although she already has three sons, the three boys are still boys, and even though they are only three years old, they have already become relatively independent.
As their mother, she rarely had the chance to hold them anymore.
This left Lu Huaijiao feeling very frustrated.
She absolutely must have a fair-skinned, chubby, and well-behaved daughter, who will wear the same little dresses and have the same little braids as her...
Lu Huaijiao was lost in thought about her child when suddenly the sound of gongs and drums rang out outside, accompanied by the voice of Luo, a cadre from their community.
"The Rhino Horn Reservoir has collapsed, and many homes in low-lying areas along the riverbank have been flooded. The authorities are now asking citizens to avoid going to the Dongjiang River unless necessary, so as not to add to the difficulty of the rescue and relief efforts."
Luo, the cadre, spoke very loudly, as if he were using a megaphone.
The sound of gongs and drums was terrifying.
Huang Tingxiu, who was next to her, was in the same situation.
"Jiaojiao...did Officer Luo just say the reservoir collapsed?"
Rhino Horn Reservoir is a very large reservoir. They had seen the long and wide dam before. The thick dam looked very sturdy. How could it collapse so easily?
Huang Tingxiu was puzzled.
Lu Huaijiao was also quite puzzled. She shook her head and turned to look at Gu Changzheng in the courtyard.
Gu Changzheng met her gaze, gave her a reassuring look, and strode out, his long legs crunching through the freshly fallen snow.
"Cadre Luo..."
Gu Changzheng stopped Luo, who was about to walk over, stepped forward, offered Luo a cigarette, and the two exchanged pleasantries.
He returned not long after.
Everyone in the family was standing under the eaves, waiting for him to come home.
Gu Changzheng closed the door and bolted it before walking towards them.
He stroked the hair of the children who were looking up at him, and said softly, "Set off the firecrackers first, then we'll go eat."
As he spoke, he lit the firecrackers that had been set up in the yard. The firecrackers crackled and popped on the snow, scattering a lot of small snowflakes.
Gu Changzheng pulled the children by the hands and ran to the eaves, telling the adults to go inside and have their New Year's Eve dinner first.
"Yes, let's eat first, otherwise the food will get cold."
He Meizhu also greeted them.
Gu Jianhua reached out and patted Gu Tiezhu on the shoulder: "Tiezhu, let's go. Let's have a good drink together today."
"Okay, Uncle."
"Drink less." He Meizhu glanced at Gu Jianhua, unusually not outright refusing to tell him to drink.
Although she usually disliked Gu Jianhua drinking, today was, after all, the Lunar New Year. There was only one day of the year, and it wouldn't hurt to have a little alcohol on this special day.
After she finished speaking, she called Huang Tingxiu into the house.
She took the other four children inside to wash their hands.
Lu Huaijiao was a step behind.
After everyone had gone inside, she looked at him and asked, "How did the reservoir collapse?"
Gu Changzheng grasped his wife's hand and put her somewhat cold hand into his coat pocket: "Cadre Luo said he suspects it was deliberate."
"Um?"
Was it man-made?
Bomb the reservoir?
Why would they blow up a reservoir on Chinese New Year, a day for family reunions? What are they trying to do?
"I'm not entirely sure either, but things might be a bit stricter outside in the coming days." Gu Changzheng genuinely didn't know the other party's purpose in bombing the reservoir, but he could vaguely guess that after such a major incident, things would definitely be more stringent outside than usual.
He just hoped that it wouldn't be like the past decade.
Lu Huaijiao nodded.
"I understand. I need to remind my parents to be more careful and not to talk to strangers."
To avoid getting into trouble later, which would leave you with no way to defend yourself.
Gu Changzheng knew his wife was always very smart, but he didn't expect her to be so perceptive after just a slight hint. He smiled and touched her hair, instinctively wanting to ruffle it.
"Don't move, or my hair will get messed up."
As soon as he was about to make his move, Lu Huaijiao immediately turned her head to the side.
I anticipated his move.
Gu Changzheng's desire to pat her head was dashed.
Gu Changzheng smiled helplessly.
"Sometimes, having a wife who is too smart can be a painful thing."
Lu Huaijiao: ? ? ? ?
Does he want a complete idiot wife? Preferably the kind who's so stupid she can't even eat, and who just stares at people with a crooked mouth, drooling all day?
Lu Huaijiao was startled by the image in her mind. She quickly shook off the random thoughts in her head, shook her head, and turned to go into the house.
Gu Changzheng's hobby is too unique; she can't learn it, and she'll never learn it in her lifetime.
One family, no, two families, had a lively New Year's Eve dinner. After celebrating Sanbao's birthday, they cleaned up the things on the table and gathered around the stove, chatting and warming themselves by the fire.
As they talked, the topic turned to the collapse of the reservoir.
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